A new vertical IGBT structure with a monolithic over-current, over-voltage, and over-temperature sensing and protecting circuit

A new 600 V vertical Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) structure with monolithically integrated over-current, over-voltage, and over-temperature sensing and protecting functions has been developed to exploit an extremely excellent trade-off characteristic between an on-state voltage drop and turn-off time for the first time. This device can be easily made by the conventional IGBT fabrication process. An accurate and a real-time device temperature detection, as well as a high withstand capability against over-current and over-voltage conditions (short circuit immunity of 30 μsec, clamped collector voltage of 640 V), have been achieved. Furthermore, an excellent trade-off characteristic of 1.40 V as an on-state voltage drop and of 0.18 μsec as a fall time is also obtained.